Franklin - Fallen Heroes from World War II

From wikipedia:

Although September 2 is the designated V-J Day in the entire United States, the event is recognized as an official holiday only in the U.S. state of Rhode Island, where the holiday's official name is "Victory Day",^[20] and it is observed on the second Monday of August. There have been several attempts in the 1980s and 1990s to eliminate or rename the holiday on the grounds that it is discriminatory. While those all failed, the Rhode Island General Assembly did pass a resolution in 1990 "stating that Victory Day is not a day to express satisfaction in the destruction and death caused by nuclear bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki."^[21] It is instead commemorative of those who fought, as Rhode Island sent a significantly above-average percentage of its population into the Pacific theater.

To recognize the Franklin Fallen Heroes from World War II, I'll be sharing their information this week. Thanks to Rose Turco for putting it together to recognize them and for allowing me to share this with you.

Monday, Aug 12 is the second Monday in August and Rhode Island is celebrating this day. I'll post two per day until the World War II listing is complete


Bullukian
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/fallen-hero-warrant-officer-david.html

Christakes
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/fallen-hero-seaman-1st-class-charles.html


This was originally posted to Franklin Matters. You can jump over there to catch the full series as it grows.
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/franklin-fallen-heroes-series.html

Honor flight

Jerry is one of the lucky ones. His sons took him to the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC in 2007. Others still need to go.



Jerry, his sons and one grandson in front of the Iwo Jima Monument can be viewed here


Honor Flight Network raises money to bring veterans of all the armed forces to visit their memorial in Washington, DC.  http://www.honorflight.org/

"The real heroes did not come back"

On this day 65 years ago, the assault on Iwo Jima started. The battle lasted 35 days. Some of the fiercest fighting in the Pacific Theater took place before it ended.

Jerry was part of the 1st Joint Assault Signal Company, 4th Marine Division that went ashore in the Blue 1 sector. He was also one of the lucky ones who walked off the island.

He has told us many times, "The real heroes did not come back".

On this day and for the next 35, let's remember all who served in the Pacific Theater, in particular those who served on Iwo Jima.

If you would like to know more about Iwo Jima, the book by James Bradley "Flag of our Fathers" is well worth the reading time. There are two movies by directed by Clint Eastwood, one based upon the book and one from the Japanese point of view that deliver a credible rendition of the battle. Jerry said, "it was very much like that." Flag of our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima

Jerry talked about Tinian and the recovery on Hawaii before going to Iwo Jima in this audio

Jerry clarifies his statements about life in the foxhole in this audio

Jerry talks about the 1st Joint Assault Signal Company

This was originally posted to Jerry's Story, my blog to record the oral history of my father and our family.

sherku: Veterans Day

Franklin cemetery flags
mark the spots where the
veterans rest remembered

What is a sherku?

More of the sherku and other poems I write can be found at quiet poet.

"This is just a fantastic thing they've done for us,"

On this Memorial Day, consider a contribution to HonorFlight.org

Who is Honor Flight?

Honor Flight Network (honorflight.org), whose mission is to bring 12,000 World War II vets to Washington, D.C., this summer. That's double the number last year.

You may recall that my brothers and I took my father, Gerald (Jerry) Sherlock to Washington, D.C. last December. We did visit the WWI Memorial as well as the Iwo Jima Monument, and the Marine Corp Museum out at Quantico, VA. It was a great trip. He thoroughly appreciated it.

I still have items recorded about the trip to post (yes, I know I am behind).

As I left for Denver last week, there were a higher number of travelers than I expected in wheel chairs and WWI memorabilia boarding the plane in PVD headed to BWI. When I saw this article in the USA Today on Thursday, I said to myself "I bet that's where they were going!".

Consider helping another WWII veteran travel to Washington, D.C.
Consider a donation to Honorflight.org.

One good way to say thanks on this Memorial Day!